three-strikes law: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
MediumFormal, Legal, Technical
Quick answer
What does “three-strikes law” mean?
A law that imposes severe penalties, typically life imprisonment, for individuals convicted of three serious felonies.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A law that imposes severe penalties, typically life imprisonment, for individuals convicted of three serious felonies.
Refers to criminal justice policies modeled on baseball terminology, often used metaphorically in various contexts to denote systems where three failures lead to harsh consequences.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Predominantly an American term; in British English, it is rarely used domestically but appears in discussions of U.S. law or comparative criminology.
Connotations
In the U.S., connotes tough-on-crime policies; in the UK, often viewed as an Americanism with critical or analytical overtones.
Frequency
High frequency in U.S. legal and political discourse; low frequency in UK English, except in academic or media coverage of U.S. issues.
Grammar
How to Use “three-strikes law” in a Sentence
The [three-strikes law] mandates life imprisonment.Under [three-strikes laws], offenders face stringent penalties.Debates often center on [three-strikes legislation].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “three-strikes law” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The system effectively three-strikes offenders after their third conviction.
American English
- States that three-strike repeat felons see a rise in prison populations.
adverb
British English
- He was sentenced three-strikes-style to a lengthy term.
American English
- The court applied the law three-strikes strictly in that case.
adjective
British English
- The three-strikes legislation was scrutinised in the UK parliament.
American English
- Three-strikes laws have been adopted in various jurisdictions.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used; may appear in risk management metaphors or compliance discussions.
Academic
Common in law, criminology, and political science research on sentencing and recidivism.
Everyday
Used in news reports or casual conversations about crime, especially in the U.S.
Technical
Standard in legal documents, court opinions, and policy analyses.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “three-strikes law”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “three-strikes law”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “three-strikes law”
- Applying it to any strict law without the three-offense requirement.
- Confusing it with other sentencing reforms like 'truth-in-sentencing'.
- Using it in non-legal contexts without clarification.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
To impose harsh penalties, typically life imprisonment, on individuals convicted of three serious felonies, aiming to deter repeat offenses.
They are primarily American, though some countries have similar habitual offender laws, but they are not commonly labeled as three-strikes laws.
They contribute to increased incarceration rates and longer prison sentences, often leading to overcrowding and higher costs.
Yes, in some jurisdictions, non-violent felonies can count as strikes, leading to life sentences for third offenses.
A law that imposes severe penalties, typically life imprisonment, for individuals convicted of three serious felonies.
Three-strikes law is usually formal, legal, technical in register.
Three-strikes law: in British English it is pronounced /θriː straɪks lɔː/, and in American English it is pronounced /θri straɪks lɑ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Three strikes and you're out”
- “Hit with three strikes”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of baseball: three strikes mean the batter is out; similarly, three felonies mean the offender is out of society with a life sentence.
Conceptual Metaphor
Justice as a game, where punishment is analogous to striking out in baseball.
Practice
Quiz
Which sport inspired the term 'three-strikes law'?